Electrolysis



N0 Model.)

. H. BLUMENBERG, J11.

ELEGTRO'LYSIS No. 537,179. Patented Apr. 9', 1895.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BLUMENBERG, JR, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

ELECTROLYSIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,179, dated April 9,1895.

, Application filed March 30, 1894.' Serial No. 505,788- (NomotleLl tainnew and useful Improvements in Electrolysis; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the figures of referencemarked on the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of thisspecification.

The object of my invention is to obtain by electrolytic action theoxy-salts such as chlorates, from the haloid salts of the alkalinemetals and metals of the alkaline earths.

Generally stated, in carrying my process into eitect, I prepare asaturated solution containing a haloid salt corresponding to the oxysaltwhich I'produce. For this purpose avat is used such as is shown in theaccompanying drawing. This vat is divided into two compartments by aporous partition, or instead a porous vessel is placed therein,in'either case the vat being divided into two compartments. An electriccurrent is then led through the solution, caution being taken that thepositive wire is connected to the positive compartment and the negativewire to the negative compartment of the vat. The basic radicals such aspotassium are then set free in the electro negativepompartment, and theacid radicals,

such as chlorine and oxygen are set free in the electro-positivecompartment.

In exemplification of my invention we will place in the vat a potassicchloride. The electric current separates it into its electronegativeandelectro-positive constituents. The potassium being the base will bedeposited in the'electro-negative compartment, where it takes up an atomof oxygen from the electrolyte and also sets free an atom of hydrogen,forming hydrate of potash.

The drawing represents in perspective View, an apparatus by meansofwhich my invention'may be carried intoeftect.

In the drawing 1 represents the electrolizing vat, divided by the porouspartition 2 into a positive compartment 3 and a negative compartment 4.

5 is the anode, and 6, the cathode, which are connected by the usualwires leading to a suitable battery. Both the anode and cathode may beof any of the usual substances generally employed in similar apparatus.

The positive compartment 3 is covered by an airtight cap or plate 7,shown in dotted lines thereon. The electro-negative compartment containsthe caustic solution or basic radical. g

8 is a gasometer connected with compartment 3 by a valved pipe 9 leadinginto the bottom of the gasometer, and communicating with the positivecompartment near its top. The gasometer 8 has an upper vessel 10 open atthe top, while the lower vessel, 8, proper, is closed at the top.

11 is a pipe connecting the lower end of vessel 10. with the upper endof vessel 8, and is provided with a valve.

12 is another valved pipe connecting the lower end of vessel 10 withvessel8, and extending through the top of the latter'vessel to a pointnear the bottom thereof.

13 are supporting rods for maintaining the vessels in'their. properrelative position.

14' is'a pipe having a valve therein, communicating with the top of thegasometer 8, which allows the gas to flow out of said vessel when thevalve is open. v

15 is a valved pipe communicating with any source of water supply, bymeans of which the vessel 10 and the vessel 8 are both filled with waterby opening the valve in the pipes 11 and 12. The water flows in bythepipe 12 which reaches nearly to the bottom of the escaping by thepipe 11, until the gasolneter is full.

When all the valves have been closed, above referred to, the operationwithin the vat 1 may be started by turning on the electric cur renttherein. The acid radicals, such as chlorine and oxygen, are liberatedin the electropositive division 3, and such as will'thereupon be forcedfrom such closed compartment opening the valve in'said pip'e. 'As' theacid radicals enter the bottom of vessel 8 they displace the watertherein to'a'certain' extent,

displace the water while some will be absorbed by it. According to thepressure and volume through pipe 9 into the gasometer 8, upon that is tosay, some of the acid radicals will gasometer 8, and displaces the air,the latter of the gas the wateris forced up into the upper vessel 10throughpipe 12,upon its valve being opened. The gasometer will be madelarge enough, of course, to hold all the acid radicals which may beliberated in one or more operations of the vat 1. The haloid salt isdecomposed by the battery current into 'its basic and acid radicals. Thelatter are now in the gasometer and the former arein theelectro-negative compartment 4.

To produce an oXy-salt, such as chlorate of potash, the valves of thepipes 16 and 17 communicating with the negative and positivecompartments 4 and 3, respectively, are opened. The discharge from thepipe 16 are the basic radicals such as caustic potash, and from the pipe17 comes the chlorine Water, the, both of which are discharged intothereceptacle 18. Upon opening the valve and pipe 14. the chlorinegas andoxygen, constituting the acid radicals, as I have termed them, will beforced through said'pipe into the receptacle 18, and commingle with thebasic radicals or caustized solution in said receptacle. companying thecaustic solution, whichhas not yet been decomposed by the acid radicalsfrom the positive compartment and which were discharged by the pipe 17,is a propor tion of acid radicals. When the acid radicals, such aschlorine and oxygen, are all forced from the gasometer 8, the valve inthe pipe 19 is opened and allows what chlorine Water there is in thegasometer to pass into the receptacle 18, so that if there are any basicradicals left, such as caustic potash, they will also be decomposed intothe chlorate. WVhen this latter chemical operation is completed thevalve in pipe 20 is opened and the contents of the receptacle 18 arepermitted to pass into the tank 21, so that the chlorate ot' potash maybe deposited and the liquid cooled. After such operation the valve-pipe22 is opened, when the residue runs into the resaturating receptacle 23.This residue may be pumped back again into the tank 24 by means ofthepump 25 and the pipe 26, and then led into vat 1 by the two pipes fromthe tank 24.

In the successful operation of my invention I employ a system of steamcoils and pipe connections in the vat 1, receptacle 18 and the tank 23.These pi pesand coils are marked 27 It is a well known fact thathypochlorite of potassium, if first formed and then decomposed into achlorate, must have a temperature of something like 120 Fahrenheit.This, of course, can also be produced by the electric current, but thensuch a high efticiency could not be practically had in producing thechlorate. In manufacturing chlorate by this process a bi-product whichis almost pure hydrogen gas is had, and this canbe gathered it anairtight cover 7, be placed over the electro-negative compartment at. Itwill also be noted that if the steam coils in vat l are not employed'Ican produce hypo-chlorite for bleaching purposes, if care is taken tonot being more soluble, will go with the bi-products,'where*it can beafterward taken from the mother liquids of the crystallization of thechloride. If there is any-percentage of the nitrates ofpotassium orsodium it will not be advisable to use the contents of the compartments3; for, asthe radical of sulphuryl and nitryl decompose the waterthereinsetting free oxygen by secondary action and forming sulphuric and nitricacid, these, it they were led "into receptacle 18 bypipe 17, wouldprobably decompose the chlorate and alsobring forward any primary andsecondary'impurities.

The contents of the positive compartment 8 canbeprofitably used fordisinfecting sewage, &c., because the impurities of the chloride ofpotash, if large, mostly go into the compartment 3. From there they canbe discharged by pipe 17, so that a chlorate will not be contaminatedwith'impurities.

This process is admirably suited for making a verypurechlorate from-avery impure chloride, and isone of its main features. The oxygen, ofcourse, set free by the secondary action of the nitryl and sulphurylradicals can be used for making the chlorate.

While the haloid salt in vat 1 is being decomposed, the oxy-salt(chlorate of potash) can be made. In thatcase the basic radicals of asucceeding operation in receptacle 18are used. In such case I make useof the chlorate without employing the. gasometer, the latter being usedonly when the oxy-salt is made from the basic and acid radicals of thehaloid salts of that operation; but, as in electrolyzing chlorideotpotash, the'basic radicals are in excess of the acid, and,therefore,-there is a part leftover whichhas notbeen satisfied;

and this, when the chlorate'has been taken from it can be used,providedproper arrangements are made to carry out the same.

The Weight of thewater in theupper vesset 10 of the gasometer puts asteady pressure on the chlorine gas through .pipe 14, and through thecaustic solution in the receptacle 18. The chlorine Willbe kept in theupper part of the gasometerS, and the pressure of the solution which isforced up throughthe pipe 12 gives me a means for absolutely regulatingthe production ofimy-chlorate in receptacle 18, by regulating the-valvein=pipe 14.

I claim- The improvement in the art herein detoo scribed which consistsin placing anelectrotank, and bringing the halogen from the gas lytecontaining a haloid salt in a vat, electroholder to the tank containingthe base. I0 lyzing the same thereby setting free the halo- In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature gen under pressure in the positivecompal'tin the presence of two witnesses. v ment and the base withoutpressure in the HENRY BLUMENBERG, JR. negative compartment, leading thehalogen Witnesses:

into a gas holder and applying additional PATRICK CONNORS,

fluid pressure therein,'and the base intoa SAMUEL LEVINESS.

